Description
Module Content
This course introduces different aspects of material and visual culture, all of which will be elaborated in later courses during the next two years. All the lectures will focus on the relationship between people and 鈥榦bjects鈥. Starting with a general introduction, this will be followed by lectures covering the object, the museum, the artwork and the image. Within these weeks we will focus on object centered learning and issues such as decolonization and object repatriation, art and agency, as well as photography within the digital age. The course will be both theoretical and practical. One week will be made up of two, one-hour lectures and a two-hour tutorial; the following week has a two-hour lab session for which you must conduct a small piece of practical fieldwork: It is crucial that you prepare for both your tutorials (by reading the compulsory articles) and lab sessions (by undertaking the fieldwork) during the intermittent period.
Learning Outcomes
To enable students to understand the key principles of material culture studies and its position within the field of anthropology
To enable students to understand the relationship between theory and practice, literature and fieldwork within anthropology
To enable students to explore the reflexive relationship between subjects and objects and the way in which humans make things as much as things make humans
To enable students to have a broad understanding of the different branches of material culture studies
To enable students to evaluate and interpret anthropological materials in order to develop lines of argument and make sound judgments in accordance with basic theories and concepts of material culture studies.
To enable students to explore 鈥渙ther ways of telling鈥, undertaking assessments reliant on both traditional essay writing as well as more experimental techniques
Delivery Method
The course will be taught in two-week blocks. The first week will be made up of two, one-hour lectures and a two-hour tutorial; the following week has only a two-hour lab session. It is crucial that you prepare for these tutorials and lab sessions in the intermittent period.
Module deliveries for 2024/25 academic year
Last updated
This module description was last updated on 19th August 2024.
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